Until recently, I haven’t been reading a lot. So, starting off with easier reads has been way to get myself into the mood for heavier substances. Hunger Games was an incredibly simple read, and I read it (and almost all of its sequel) in only 2 days.
While simple, this book was still a good read. It told a good story and had plenty of emotion. It also translated to the big screen very well. If you saw the movie, you basically read the book with very few differences. As there really isn’t any deep meaning to the book (corruptive government, people in power can’t really relate to the underclass, yadayada), I’m going to just ramble about comparing the movie to the book.
The book is all told from the perspective of Katniss. Any scene in the movie where Katniss isn’t present is not in the book. Yet still, the majority of these scenes were hinted at in the book. Such as Haymitch’s attempts to reward Katniss for specific behavior, or the Gamemaster’s quick decision to let the two stay together and his execution after. These added scenes to the movie weren’t a stray from the book, but simply a re-translation. The book was able to get those scenes across through the book through inner dialogue; but, having a V.O. explain something in a movie is not nearly as effective as just seeing the action of it.
There were some character differences that didn’t translate perfectly. Mostly, that Katniss may be using the Peeta love story just to survive. The movie had much more of a she might be in love feeling. Throughout the book, Katniss pushes a lot more that everything is an act, and everything is more calculated, while the movie shows more of the emotion. The movie removed a scene where it comes out that Katniss was kind of taking directions to get closer to Peeta just to get more awards. I’m sure this will get more in the way of the next movie, and when I finish Catching Fire I’m sure I’ll get into this a lot more of the repercussions are seen in the following book.
Over-all, the emotions of the movie were higher. But, specific scenes in the book almost brought tears to my eyes. Peeta’s announcement of his love for Katniss was better done in the book. I believe its simply because that scene just takes longer to get into. You connect more with him during each sentence, and you are expecting him to say the next line. Suspense builds, and then he says it and you are balled over. The movie is able to do the lines quicker, so while it’s still emotional, it didn’t bring me to tears. The same is similar to the death of Rue. Reading simply makes it take longer, seeing her life go out of her eyes, and having Katniss sing the song. While a movie can show you the emotions and actions better, a good writer can use sentences to make you feel like the character and bring you through the emotion.
The movie did not include that the wolf creatures were made up from the dead tributes. Katniss’ realization of what they are is also emotional, and changes the context of the scene. Although, to what end I don’t know. It simply makes the completely already hated Gamemaster and Capitol be even more despicable; aka, not much. I already hated them throughout the book, and the fact that they are releasing monsters makes me hate them...adding that they are the tributes doesn’t add much but more hate. But does make it more emotional.
The major reason I read the book though, is because I wanted some questions answered. Two specifically, one was an easy question and the other a bit more complex. The easy question was answered no problem. In the movie, they mentioned 13 districts, but I don’t ever recall them mentioning that the 13th district was destroyed. Maybe they did, but even if they did it was quickly forgotten. Throughout the movie, I believed the Capitol was the 13th district. In the book, it was very clear that District 13 was destroyed. That little bit of detail really filled in a lot of other information, specifically why they have the games. Yes, it was explained in the movie, but the totality of destroying an entire district really pushes home that this isn’t just punishment, the games are there to destroy the spirits. That the games exist to remind the other 12 districts that the Capitol can destroy any of them, completely, at any time. The question of District 13 changes the text entirely, and I really wish it had been in the movie.
The other question, the more complicated one, was not answered for me. The question is: why? To everything, to the whole world. I got that natural disasters destroyed every bit of the world we know, and that this is the society that rose up. But, the technology still exists, and is in fact much superior to our own. In the movie, it appeared they could just create creatures out of thin air...which from the book isn’t exactly true. But, the book still has them using a device like the replicator from star trek to get food. What the wolf creatures are, the dead tributes, actually almost makes it worse. Why, in a world where they can create food out of nothing, create giant arenas for people to kill each other, throw fire balls out of trees, use dead organisms to create werewolf monsters, do they need miners? Why do they need cherry pickers? Why do people need to be starving? Why do they need human slaves when they can easily just create things to do the jobs for them. All of this... why?
Maybe its because the book is just simple. That its completely relying on the Corrupt people hoard their power, and while that’s true... why is the government filled with idiots then? You know what would keep the districts in line better? Being indoctrinated. As opposed to reminding them of the wars and conflict every year, make them feel like it was a choice to stay in their communities. If they were fed well, they wouldn’t want to rise up. To get the other districts in line would take so little, and so much less, than the effort they put to keep the districts in fear, as well as hating them.
It was a good book. Quick, emotional, and had some nice little points. But it was also simple, and once I’m done with the series, now that I’m finished with Fire and Ice, I feel like jumping into something more difficult. Something much more poignant. Something with layers to the context. Where, after writing on it, and hopefully even having a discussion, after straining my brain, I feel like I’ve come upon some new insight about the world. Please, give me some suggestions!
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